November 2005

Awareness required about oral hygiene
Sunday, November 13, 2005 | gp

A recent survey has expressed concern over the low awareness and poor oral hygiene habits among people which is resulting in a sharp rise in the dental problems. A new national survey, sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited and conducted by Synovate India, found that people do not associate dental health with adequate oral care, with over 60 per cent people in India having never visited a dentist in their life. The survey, the results of which were released here, said only a meagre two per cent of the population actually visit a dentist regularly and when it comes to dental problems, over 50 per cent people are unconcerned about preventing or curing them. The survey also reported that during the last one year, 24 per cent of people using toothpaste suffered from toothache and while 96 per cent were aware of the problem, only 35 per cent sought treatment. ''Research has shown that dental diseases can best be prevented through early detection and primary prevention. This means that people need to get the basics right - brush twice daily and visit a dentist twice a year.

Jammu dental college denied recognition
Sunday, November 13, 2005 | gp

The State government has received a major setback in their plan of establishing a dental college and hospital in Jammu as the Dental Council of India (DCI) has refused to grant recognition to the college citing many deficiencies. The dental council team accused the college authorities of violating DCI guidelines by admitting 40 students for the Bachelors in Dental Surgery (BDS) course without getting permission from the central government. The visiting team of council has further said the State government was not following the minimum basic qualification and teaching experience required for appointment and promotion of teaching faculty as prescribed in the DCI regulations. Regarding the college infrastructure, the dental council has recommended restoration of two lecture halls. Sources further disclosed that the State government after receiving the details about the shortfalls in college has started working on them and is considering approaching the dental council again for re-inspection.

UK has vacancies for Indian dentist
Sunday, November 13, 2005 | gp

Many Indian dentists, particularly those in Kerala, are busy training for an examination that could get them jobs in Britain and fill the yawning shortage of the professionals there. There were close to 4,000 vacancies of dentists in Britain. MBPMF is perhaps the only training organisation in the country that provides courses for dentists to take the three part international qualifying exam (IQE) for getting a Britain-approved license. The courses, which began in February this year, are taught at Manipal in Karnataka. Since February, 270 dentists have undergone the training, of which 18 have already got jobs in UK. Since the IQE has three parts, it usually takes close to a year for any dentist to qualify. To write each part of the IQE, the candidate has to go to Britain. Reports indicate that the pass percentage of those who have attended the course at MBPMF is close to 80 percent. The training fee for the first part is Rs.120,000, for the second part Rs.155,000 and for the final Rs.200,000.

Dental national conference in Lucknow
Sunday, November 13, 2005 | gp

About 1,000 dental experts from all over the world have assembled in Lucknow for the National Conference of the Federation of Operative Dentistry of India and Indian Endodentic Society that got underway this morning. Hailed as one of the the biggest gathering of its kind, the three-day conference was inaugurated by Dr Anil Kohli, president of the Dental Council of India. The main feature of the conference would be the video conferencing from Germany and the United States for the purpose of presentation and advanced information. As many as six guest speakers from Australia, the US and Singapore will share their expertise during the conference. The event is being organised by the Lucknow-based King George's Dental University and over 100 medical and dental colleges are attending it.